The Mitchells vs the Machines (2021)

Hooo boy, this is a strange one. There are unusually positive reviews saying 10/10 movie of the year, and it makes me wonder if we saw the same movie or are they bots?

You see, the problem with making a movie based on 'trends' is that by the time the movie comes out, the jokes are already old. This movie is so forgettable, I forgot it's name like 3 times, and I already forgot most of the story, it was so bland.

Did they rip off Pig the Pug?

I'm a fan of the creators and producers (Gravity Falls and Spider-verse alumni) so I don't understand why this movie didn't hit the right notes with me, I wanted to like it.

Fmovies: This would have been a wonderful family film if only it wasn't trying so hard to be funny (and failing) The forced in memes and full on trying to be quirky ruins the moment every 5 minutes.

I feel it was supposed to be a game that didn't quite get the ratings and they didn't want to scrap the story so just handed it off to Netflix to turn in to a film.

Not a classic :-(. I also did not like the adult voice casting for the young boy :-(

The Mitchells vs the Machines fmovies. Sony Animation really knocked it out of the park with The Mitchells vs. The Machines. It's an energized, relentlessly funny, timely and heartfelt story about improving communication and valuing relationships. Its sharp commentary on technology dependence left me in stitches laughing and isn't short of food for thought. The narrative, characters and themes feed into each other perfectly and it's the most fun I've had watching an animated film since Into the Spider-Verse. With a quirky sense of humor and dazzling visual style to back up its punctual and earnest script, The Mitchells vs. The Machines is an animated marvel that will reach anyone no matter the age.

Sony Pictures Animation has been growing further and further in their filmography by experimenting with fresh computer technology and innovative stories, and none could be better proof than their most recent feature, The Mitchells vs. The Machines. Co-written and directed by former Gravity Falls writer Mike Rianda, the film was initially set to come out in September of 2020, but due to COVID restrictions, it was eventually delayed until the end of April and released on Netflix. Now that the world is finally ready to see the Mitchells unleashed, just how much was the wait worth it in the end?

The film follows the Mitchells, a dysfunctional family with an aspiring filmmaker daughter named Katie and a down to earth father named Rick that fail to see eye to eye from when they were younger. While attempting to rekindle their relationship on Katie's trip to college, the whole family winds up having to save Earth from a robot uprising while on a road trip. Now based on that bizarre premise, it would seem like we have a case of two different movies clashing together. However, the otherwise routine storyline of a family overcoming their differences is ultimately saved and even elevated by this other arc, because the movie's biggest theme lies in how overly dependent people have become to technology nowadays. While it is wonderful just how much the world has advanced in adapting to technological innovation, including animated features, one must be careful to not take it for granted. Sometimes, all it takes is just one person to deem an AI obsolete for the whole world to fall under chaos; that is just how much the reliance on technology has grown in humanity, both for better and worse.

As for the Mitchells story arc, like I mentioned before, it is admittedly a fairly standard plot about a parent and offspring needing to overcome their differences to connect again. However, to the film's credit, the characters themselves range from charmingly hysterical to surprisingly relatable. Katie represents the adorkably creative artist in many of today's generation, Rick is a good hearted albeit overly indulgent maniac of a dad trying to figure out today's youth, Linda is an overly perfectionist mother that demands the family be functional even at her most calm, and Katie's little brother Aaron might be the most hilarious dinosaur obsessed squirt since Calvin from Calvin & Hobbes (and their bug eyed potato dog Monchi is the cherry on top). This whole family of eccentric weirdos drive the film forward, especially compared to their allies and enemies, be it evil robots or family rivals. Not to mention, the whole cast clearly had a blast in their roles, especially Abbi Jacobson and Danny McBride being the most authentic as a quirky albeit frustrated teen and an overly impulsive father.

Out of all the animated features to be released this year right now, this film might have the most unique visuals and art direction yet. In addition to Lindsey Olivares' stylized character designs translating seamlessly in the SPA renderfarm, the animators did the most in exercising their acting chops to make the characters move like real people yet still feel appropriately exaggerated. The backgrounds are also a neat reflection of how the United States would look if it went from a neat colorful environment to a post apocalyptic sci-fi nightmare, with the right amount of special effects, color gradients and shadows to go along with the world-building. There are even nice additional 2D animated chunks that are either use

I really enjoyed this film and laughed really hard my diaphragm hurt. It was a really well told story and the animation style reminded me of the Into the spider verse style but with its own twist.

The jokes were on point as well, the humour had its own unique quirky feel which once you are in on the joke just brings along for the ride.

Totally worth a watch for everybody it's just a great family film for everyone with something for all to enjoy.